Electric program-indicator.



A. LONERGAN.

ELEOTRIG PROGRAM INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1906.

920, 1 63, Patented May 4, 1909.

ALPHONSUS LONERGAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM-INDICATOR.

Bpecificationof Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed March 81, 1906. Serial N 0. 309,205.

To all wk 0m it may concern:

Be it known that 1', ALPnoNsUs LONER- GAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Program-Indicators, of which the following is a-specification.

The invention relates primarily to an electric program indicator designed to present to the view of an audience in illuminated form the successive acts of an entertainment.

The main object of the )resent invention is the rovision of means whereby the acts or specialties in any )artic'ular program of entertainment may e presented to the audience in the form of an illuminated sign, so as to advise the audience of the act about to be staged, the construction iroviding a simple device which is capable of extended use and arranged to instantly illuminate any desired sign of the series.

The invention will first be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a view in elevation of an indicator constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig.- 2 avertical central section of the same, Fig. 3 a broken edge view of the same, Fig. 4 a diagrammatic view illustrating the lamp connectlons.

Referring articularly to the drawin s my improved in icator comprises a face plate 1 which may be of any size or ornamental outline desired, formed with a series of rectangular openings 2,corres onding in number to the number of acts to e indicated. The upper and lower edges of each opening are pro vided with flanges 3 and 4 respectively, secured on the inner side of the face plate slightly beyond the adjacent edges bounding the opening). The free or inner edges of the flanges are out towardeach other to provide lips 5 extending parallel with the face late but spaced a determinate distance t1erefrom. This construction provides guide ways for thereception of the signs to be later j described, vit being understood that said guideways extendpractically the full width for, the illuminating means.

preferably hinged at 7' to the face plate and is he casing is formed in one side wall with openings 8 to register with and include each pair of guideways 3 and 4, whereby to permit introduction and removal of the signs.

The illuminating means comprises preferably incandescent lamps arranged transversely of and secured to the rear wall of the casing. The lamps of each series are arranged about centrally and along the longitudinal line of the immediately adjacent opening 1, each set of lamps being in series arrangement with main conductors 10 and 11, a switch 12 being provided for each set of lamps. By this construction any particular set of lamps, and thereby the corresponding opening 2 may be illuminated as desired.

The sign proper comprises a backing plate 13 of semi-opaque material, as frosted glass, on which the data to indicate the particular act is to be stenciled, preferably by water colors. In front of the backing )late is arranged a strip of fabric 14, prefera ly a white piece of linen, and in front of the strip 14 is arranged a piece of plain glass 15, the section of plain glass serving primarily to maintain tllie fabric strip in contact with the backing ate.

p In the use of a sign of this nature the letter stenciled on the backing late will be in effect projected onto the fa ric strip, owing to the comparatively o aque nature of the backing plate, thus diffusing the illumination and rendering the letters clearly legible through the plain glass. Furthermore, the use of a backing plate of the character described and the forming thereon of the letters in the manner stated provides for the continuous reuse of said backing plate for other signs, as the letter of any articular signs may be readily eifaced there rom by the use of a dampened cloth orthe like.

The sign pro er comprising the backing late, fabric strip, and front plate are to be introduced into the respective guides to arrange the lettering on the back plate in front of the lamp and within the outline of the opening, so that the operator by moving the proper switch can instantly illuminate any particular sign of the series in accordance with the act to be staged.

The indicators are to be arranged at the side of a stage in view of the audience, while the switches controlling the lamp will, of course be arranged upon a stage proper for operation as deslred.

Thedevice as a whole provides a simple form of indicator in the, use of which a si n indicating an act to be staged may e 1 uickly presented to the View of an audience, t e construction providing for the continual 5 reuse of a sign proper in the manner described.

Having thus described the invention What is claiined as new, is

A program indicator comprising a face? 10 plate with a series of continuous transverse olpenings therein having the inner faces of tieir upper and lower edges provided with flanges which are bent in angular form, to

a provide guideways which extend entirely 15 across the face of the plate, a sign slidably g mounted in said guideways, said sign consisting of a sheet of frosted backing having 1 letters thereon, said backing being provided i with a sheet of fabric attached thereto having i a sheet of glass therewith, a box casing i hinged to said face (plate, and illuminating 1 means carried by sai casing substantially as specified.

y In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1 in presence of two witnesses.

ALPHON SUS LONE H GAN.

' Witnesses:

GEORGE Romans, HARRY LEVENE. 

